A Simple Experiment to Test the Toxicity of Toothpaste (3T Experiment): An Observational Pilot Study

Introduction  Ingredients in toothpaste can impact living cells and organisms. Fluorides in toothpaste are known to cause various disorders in both animals and humans. Based on these observations, we evaluated the effect of toothpaste ingredients on the survival of money plants (Epipremnum aureum). Methodology We selected four money plants and placed each one in a glass of water. After a three-day stabilization period, we added 100 mg of three commonly used toothpaste brands to the water of three glasses, each containing one money plant, for two weeks. One glass was maintained as a control without any toothpaste. We then observed the changes in the plants over the next four weeks. Results The plants exposed to toothpaste began to show discoloration within two weeks. The leaves withered and dried in all the treated plants within 30 days. In contrast, the control plant remained healthy and sprouted a new bud. Conclusion Our observations indicate that all three commonly used toothpaste brands were toxic to the money plant. These findings may encourage further experiments to study the toxicity of toothpaste ingredients.